Dielectric wall accelerators are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,944, incorporated herein by reference, where the technology concept provided a substantial performance improvement over other existing technologies prevalent at that time. In concept, the energy concentration, or rather the high voltage gradients proposed in the concept, were at odds with the materials and techniques of that day. The concept may work, but the material combinations for components were being operated at their limits and breakdowns with lifetime limits were a challenge for utilizing the devices produced.
Hence the performance of the device is strongly influenced by the materials used to construct it. Indeed, the available materials and fabrication techniques were the primary limiting factor.